Living in SpainHow To Effectively Choose a School In Spain the 1st Time
Six steps for choosing a school in Spain the first time: public, concertado or private, enrollment data, reviews, word of mouth, visits and flexibility.
Guides
Living in Spain
This hub covers everyday life in Spain for a family that moved here from abroad. We moved from Mexico to Spain in April 2021 and lived in Zaragoza, Murcia and Madrid before settling back in Zaragoza. These guides are for families thinking about a move to Spain and for those already here, sorting out paperwork, schools, housing and a city to call home.
For paperwork, start with From the NLV in Spain (Non-Lucrative Visa) to Citizenship via the IberoAmerican Pathway, which lists the documents we used for our visa and for my husband's citizenship. How I Successfully Got My 1st Spanish Driver's License in Spain & Made My Own Test Appointment covers Ashley's two failed attempts in Murcia and her pass in Spanish in Zaragoza. For school, How Does Education Work in Spain? explains public, concertado and private schools, and How To Effectively Choose a School In Spain the 1st Time gives six steps for your search.
For housing, Our Key to Finding Rentals in Spain shares our renter profile template, and Our Real-Life Rental Process for our Four Leases in Spain shows what renting was really like. If you are still choosing a city, Spanish City Comparison compares 10 Spanish cities, and Why we Chose to Move to Spain & Our Journey to Zaragoza explains why we recommend Zaragoza.
All 17 guides
Living in Spain
Cost of LivingOur Back-to-School Cost in Spain
What back to school cost our family in Spain for 2026, with one child starting first grade and the other starting secondary (1º ESO) at a new school.
School in SpainThe Schooling Process in Spain – How To
How school registration works in Spain, step by step: researching schools, open house visits (puertas abiertas) and our own 2026 application.
Renting in SpainOur Real-Life Rental Process for our Four Leases in Spain: What Happens When You Rent in Spain?
What renting in Spain was really like across our four leases in Zaragoza, Murcia and Madrid since 2021: finding flats, agencies, deposits and moving out.
Living in ZaragozaHow I Successfully Got My 1st Spanish Driver’s License in Spain & Made My Own Test Appointment
How I got a Spanish driver's license as an American with no license exchange: failing twice in Murcia, passing in Spanish in Zaragoza, and DGT tips.
Living in SpainSpanish City Comparison
We compared 10 Spanish cities, from Zaragoza and Valencia to Bilbao and Seville, on cost of living, schools, travel links and beach and mountain access.
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Living in ZaragozaSummer Roadtrips From Zaragoza, Spain
Two summer road trips from Zaragoza by rental car: the beach at Tarragona's Playa Gorda, and Cinco Villas for a honey museum and a mountain swimming hole.
Living in ZaragozaWhat Are the Good Neighborhoods in Zaragoza, Spain?
Which neighborhoods in Zaragoza are good for families, from Romareda to Universidad, and why a good area and a good school aren't always the same place.
Daily LifeDaily Life in Zaragoza, Spain
A diary of ordinary days in Zaragoza, Spain at the start of 2025: school, errands, family time and what still surprises us after almost four years here.
School in SpainThings We Did That Helped With The First Year of Spanish School & What My Kids Think About Life Here
What helped our two kids through their first year in Spanish school after Montessori, democratic and British schools, and what they now like about Spain.
Living in SpainFrom the NLV in Spain (Non-Lucrative Visa) to Citizenship via the IberoAmerican Pathway
How our mixed-nationality family moved to Spain on the Non-Lucrative Visa, the documents each of us needed, and the Ibero-American route to citizenship.
Leaving the USAWhy & How We Left the United States & Our Current Plans (From a Mixed Status Family)
Why our mixed-status family left the United States in 2018, the immigration hurdles we faced, and how we built a new life in Mexico and then Spain.